Automatic mold-charging mechanism.



E. E. GALLAHER & D. J.`N|CGRAIL.

AUTOMATIC MOLD CHARGING MECHANISM.

APPL|cAT1ox-1Y FILED JULY 28,1915.

Patented June 5, 1917.

E. E, GALLAHER & D. J. lVlcGRAlL.

AuToMAlc MOLD CHARGING MECH/mism.

APPLICATlON FILED JULY 28,1915. y

\ Patentedcluue o, 1917.

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Patented June 5,- 1917.

Suva/wko@ E. E. GALLAHEB 8L D. J. MCGRAIL.

AUTOMATIC MOLD CHARGING MECHANISM. APPLICATIQN FILED luLY 28. |915. 1,229,060.

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ELMER E. GALLAHER, OF GAS CITY, AND DOMINICK J. MCGAIL, OF MARION, INDIANA.

AUTOMATIC MOLD-CHARGING MECHANISM.

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Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 5, 191i "7.

Application filed July 28, 1.915.- Seria1No. 42,375.

To all whom t may concern."

y' Be it known that we, ELMER E. GALLAHER and DOMINICK J. MCGRAIL, citizens of the United States,'residing at Gas City, in the county of Grant and State of Indiana, and in the county of Gra-nt and State of Indiana, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Mold-Charging Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements `in automatic mold charging mechanisms, especially as adapted to the art of glass manufacture, its object being to provide suitable means to replace the conventional hand process of dipping or gathering the molten material, and by which means the said material is measured accurately and automatically transferred to the molds.

The essence of the invention lies in the provision of mechanism disposed intermediate the furnace or tank in which the molten glass is oontainedand the molds to receive the same, said mechanism comprising a support carrying a receiving cup or measuring receptacle into which the glassvis admitted, said receptacle being mounted upon a .weighing .beam which latter is utilized to automatically actuate operating means, upon receipt of a predetermined amount of material in the cup, for shearing the stream and simultaneously discharging the material into the mold positioned to receive it, and finally starting the pressing machinery which vmay be employed in carrying out the complete process of the manufacture.

A further object in view is to provide a special construction of measuring receptacle, divided in form and the sections of which are operated -to cause opening and closing thereof through operative connections with4 the shearing mechanism. y

A still further object we have in mind is toprovide means for controlling the accu'- racy of the weighing operation, said means constituting, in performing its function, cooling means for the measuring receptacle, as well as acting as a substantial air cushion therefor.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the' art to which the device refers, many advantages accrue to the use of our invention, among which may be mentioned a substantial improvement in the articles of manufacture themselves and the elimination of loss .apparatus including due to imperfect ware usually' caused by placing too large or too small a quantity of the material in the molds or the exposure of the same to the air lor too long a period of time; the saving` of labor and the increase in the output possible are also advantageous features of its use.

These and such other objects as may hereinafter appear are attained by the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter specifically described and claimed. Reference will now be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation of an apparatus forming the embodiment of our invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, parts being broken away and shown in section vto disclose more clearly the details of construction.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view. i

Fig. 'l is a vertical sectional view on the line indicated 4 4 in Fig. l.

F 5 is a similar section on the line 55 of Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a similar of Fig. 1. I

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the controlling means employed with our device for regulating the, accuracy of the weighing mechanism.

Fig. 8 is a perspective View illustrating section on the line 66 the combined molding and pressing instru-A Vperforming these functions which will serve with equal facility and it will also be understood that the machine may cooperate with any known type of melting and molding pressing mechanism, which latter, not forming the subject of our invention, will only be referred to generally.

A designates a frame or plate of any debeneath a circular opening otally mounted a 'the support A.

sired form or configuration, but preferably of metal construction, horizontally disposed for support by a post B to which it is adjustably connected by a clamping member C movable vertically up or down on the post so as to `enable adjustment` of the device in proper relation to the /mold or molds which are disposed beneath the same. As most clearly shown in Fig. 6, the clamp C is O'rooved longitudinally to receive the support A' which is held in its adjusted position as by means of the bolts or other fastening devices D.

Depending a pairof spaced brackets or supports 1 secured thereto by the fastening members 2. In' suitable openings inl said brackets is pivbeam 3, the .trunnions 3 for which rest upon setscrews 4l. The beam 3 is formed at one end with graduations as indicated at 5 and carries an adjustable weight or pea 6 and which may be fixed at any predetermined point of adjustment by its set? screw 7. The opposite end of the beam carries a measuring receptacle or cup S, divided longitudinally, one section of which is fixed to the disk 9 loosely mounted on the end of the beam 3 and the other section likewise secured to the annular collar 10 rotatably mounted on and surrounding this disk. The cup is located directly 11, in the end of the support A, through which the molten glass or other plastic materiahas the case may be, passes from the furnace or tank, the outlet or trough of the same being indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, at 12. 'lllithin said opening 11 is .seated a thimble .13, of non-heat conducting material, and designed to prevent the heat from aifecting ln conjunction with this apparatus, we employ shearingmechanism for severing the stream of glass automatically when .a predetermined quantity of the same has dropped or'flowed into the cup 8, as controlled primarily by the weight on the beam 3. To this end the support'As suitably n formed at the extremity over the cup to re ceive coacting shearing elements 14, 14', slidably mounted for movement transversely of the support for shearing action, thevinner ends of said elements bei'ng correspondingly notched as indicated at 15. actuated simultaneously as the cup 4elements or sections are opened in -a manner and by means now to be described.

J ust above the beam 3 at its weight-ed side in the support or frame A is located an air valve 16, including a trip member or valve `stem 17 projecting downwardly therefrom with said beam. To this by means of a conduit or downwardly through the 2, and laterally for cooperation valve is led, as pipe 18 passing support A, as shown in Fig.

from beneath the frame A are A.

As most clearly These shears are in communication with a pressure cylinder 1S) on top of the support A by the tube 20;

the piston for this cylinder being' connected through its rod '21 to a pair of toggle links 22, in turn connected with a pair of corresponding spaced levers 23, 2l, pivoted at 23 and 24e respectively. L The lever 23 is bifur-l cated at its free extremity whereit engages a. vertical projection orpost carried byalongitudinally extending bar26whichissceured at right angles to the shear element 14. shown in F 5, a notched bar, substantially a rack bar 27 projects laterally from the bar 26 and the end of said bar 27 engages between spaced teeth 2Q of a disk 29. The latter is Acarried by the end of the beam 3 and is fixed in relation to the disk 9 to which oneof thc cup sections is secured. In like manner the lever 2i is connected with the post 30 on the barhconlnected to the shear element 14:, and a corresponding projecting notched bar 3:2 engages between the projections 33 extending rearwardly from the collar 10 to which the other cup section is connected. When the piston in the cylinder 19 reaches the end of its stroke, the air is exhausted through the conduit 31 from which it may be utilized for any further purpose desired but in this case forstarting the pressing mechanism as will be later set forth.v f

The end of the support shears are mounted is constructed so as to permit of keeping the shears cooled. Air conduits (not hewn) lead to the openings A in which the 35, one of each of which is located ust above A i leading to an' annular 38 in the edge of the opening 11. This is designed with a view to keeping the thimble 13 cooled, the air circulating .therearound and exhausting out of the passage 37.

The operation of the apparatus as thus far described will be apparent from the drawings and the foregoing description. Vhen themold has' been brought to a proper position beneath the cup 8, andl assuming thatd the support A has been adjusted both vertically and horizontally, the molten material is allowed to flow from the tank or furnace through the thimble 13 and into the divided cup S. As soon as a sutlicient quantity is received thereinto, as determined by the weight 6 on the beam 3. said beam will be tilted, raising up thel trip member or stem 17 and opening` the valve '16, thereby admitting air under pressure 'led through the pipe 36 -entirely automatic. 3 is limited when the cup is emptied by the into the cylinder 19, whereupon its piston actuates the levers 23 and 24 which in` turn impart shifting movement to the shears and simultaneously open the cup sections through the bars 2,7 and 32, and the members 29 and 33. The molten mass, at this time, falls into the mold and the pressing mechanism is thereupon started under the control of the air passing through the conduit 34 as hereinbefore mentioned. The air having exhausted the cup members and shea-rs assume their normal position and the beam also falls to its initial position due to the weighted parts of each element, the action` ofthe apparatus from the outstart being Movement of the beam strap or yoke 39.

o a certain extent the perfection ofv manufacture of articles by the flowing glass method depends upon the constituency of the material admitted to the molds and to best carry out this process We find it advantageous to employ auxiliary means for regulating the Weight of the glass dropping between the shears and the cup so as to obtain accuracy of Athe Weight regardless of Whether the glass is cool or hot. Obviously if the molten'material is hot it flows in a small stream but if cool, relatively speaking, in a larger stream. Therefore, if the glass is sheared at a given point above the receptacle into which it is being poured, there would be'more Weight in one instance than in the other which would drop after the stream had been cut. Hence, to provide an adequate control for the condition, We provide an air cushion so to speak beneath the cup S as most clearly shown in Fig. 7. This` consists of a pipe 40 sustained by a bracket ell carried by the frame or support A and, therefore,adjustable with it, the pipe being adjustably clamped to the lower end of the bracket and provided With spaced branches el', 4l disposed at opposite sides of the cup, such branches having a plurality of openings to allow the air under pressure to escape andblow against said cup at substantially an angle of forty-live degrees.A

This air is supplied through the conduit 42 and a valve 43 controls the floiv or pressure. As will be apparent the higher the pressure, the greater the amount of lmaterial will be necessary to accomplish the tripping` and discharge of the glass as the air pressure tends to counteract the Weight on the beam. The ope'ator may readily attain skill in keeping the Weight exact by 'regulating the valve from time to time according to the character or fluidity of the molten glass. The process leads to the elimination of short weight of articles manufactured, and what is more desirable, to the prevention of Hanging of the articles due to overfioW'of the molds. In addition, the action of the air on the cup tends to keep it cooled this stage of the operation.

As hereinbefor'e mentioned, the exhausting pressure from the cylinder 19 is further utilized to start operation of the pressing mechanism, the coaction being disclosed by Fig. 8. The air passes by Way of the conduit 34 through the support B to the cylinders 4l, the pistons 45 of which revolve the mold table 46, bringing the next receiving mold into position beneath the pressing member 47 which then operates in the usual Way to form the material.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim as new is:

l. Mold charging mechanism of the class described comprising, in `combination, a Weighing beam, a receiving cup extending from one end of the beam and having its longitudinal axis coincident with the longitudinal axis of said beam, counterbalance means ron the other end of the beam, and movable means intermediate the cup and the counterbalance means adapted for actuation by the beam, whereby to discharge thecup. l

2. Mold charging mechanism of the class described comprising, in combination, a Weighing beam,a receiving cup rotatably mounted on an end portion of the beam, counterbalance means on the other end portion of the beam, and means for rotating the cup when said cup has received a predetermined amount of material, to discharge the cup simultaneously with the balancing thereof.

2,3. Mold charging mechanism of the class described comprising in combination', ya Weighing beam, counterbalance means thereon, a receiving cup comprising openable sections journaled on an end portion of the beam, and actuating means operatively connected f-to the journaled portions of the cup sections, for opening the: same under control of the counterbalance means upon receipt of a predetermined amount of material in said cup.

4. Mold charging mechanism of the class described comprising, in combination, a Weighing beam, a Sectional glass receiving cup controlling movement. of said beam upon reception of a predetermined amount of the glass material, shearing members for severing the stream of glass falling into the cup, separate means coaxially mounted on which is qiite desirable at said beam for rotating the'cup sections a said cup sections.

I Acomprising-1n combination,

's porting member 5'. Charging mechanism for glass molds a pivotal supa receptacle on said supat one side of the pivot, balance means on the supporting member at the other side of the pivot, 'and means on the same side of. the pivot as the receptacle tending to resist the downward movement porting member,

- .of said receptacle.

, receptacle, weighing 75.' y,Charging I to supply a pressure Imechanism according to the constituency of j ceptacle to 'resist premature receptacle,

the glass material.

8. Charging mechanism for glass molds comprising in combination a glass receiv-ing shearing mechanism for severing the stream of' glass at a predetermined point above the receptacle, weighing mechanism at one side of the receptacle for controlling discharge of the receptacle and operation of the shearing mechanism, sure controlling means operable on the redischarge there'- of due to change of constituency of the glass stream intermediate the shearing mechanism and the receptacle.

19. Charging mechanism forv glass molds comprising in combination a gl-ass receiving receptacle, weighing mechanism for controlling discharging of said receptacle, and means for regulating the latter according to the constituency of the glass material, Said means constituting cooling means-for lthe receptacle. v

10. Charging mechanism for glass molds 'comprising in combination a glassreceiving receptacle, weighing mechanism for controlv ling discharge of said receptacle, and means providing an air cushion for thelreceptacle.

11. The combination with glass molds, of charging mechanism therefor comprising a support having an opening therethrough through which molten material is adapted- I to pass. support a receptacle .suspended from said beneath the opening to receive the molten' material preliminary to charging the molds aforesaid from said receptacle, a removable protective shell surrounding theA 'opening of the support, shearing members carried by the support below the protective member, means for maintaining the protec- `of a glass receiving mechanism for controlnism, pressing mechanism and auxiliary prestive member and shearing members cooled, and means for ,discharging the receptacle into the molds.

12. In apparatus of the class describedA for charging glass molds, the combination receptacle, pressing. mechanism for forming the material when discharged into the molds, and weighing means for controlling lthe discharge of the receptacle'ahd subsequent operation of the pressing mechanism.

13. In apparatus of the class described for charging molds, the combination of a glass receiving receptacle, shearing mechanism including operating meansggpressing mechanism for forming the material when discharged into the molds, and means controlled by the receptacle for simultaneously actuating the shearing mechanism and discharging the receptacle, and `subsequently actuating the pressing mechanism under the control of the operating means aforesaid.

14. In apparatus of the class described for charging molds,"the combination of a glass receiving receptacle, shearing mechafor forming the material when discharged into the molds, pressure control means for actuating the shearing mechanism and discharging the ieceptacle, and means operable by the receptacle upon reception of a predetermined amount roi. material for releasing the pressure means, said last mentioned means also subsequently starting the pressing .mechanism under the control of the shearing mechanism.

15. In apparatus of the class described for charging molds, the combination of a glass receiving receptacle, shearing mechanism, pressing mechanism for forming the material when discharged into the molds, a

pressure cylinder for mechanism and discharging the receptacle, and a valve for said cylinder operable uponl reception of a predetermined amount of materia-l in said receptacle for operating the shearing mechanism and discharging the receptacle, said cylinder controlling starting of the pressing mechanism.

16. In apparatus of the class described for charging molds, the combination of a glass receiving receptacle, a weighing beam to` saidreceptacle is connected, shearing inechanism, pressing mechanism for forming the material when discharged into the molds, a pressure cylinder including a piston operably connected to the shearing mechanism and the receptacle for actuating the former and -(discharging said receptacle, and a valve controlling admission of pressure to said-cylinder and operable by the beam aforesaid upon receipt of a predetermined amount of material in said receptacle, said cylinder' having an exhaust for establishing cmmunica'tion between the actuating the shearing n series of cylinder and the. pressing mechanism whereby to start the latter upon discharge of the contents of the receptacle into the molds.

. 17. In combination; weighing-1;,n shearing, table actuating and pressing mechanisms, a ypressure* operated devices coacting with the respective mechanisms, a continuous pressure line in which said operated n10 devices are interposed,' each device .in-

tures.

.turn constituting communication-establishlng means for admitting the pressureto the next succeeding pressure device whereby the mechanismsy aforesaid are progressively operated through continuity of the pressure.

In testimony whereof we alix our signav ELMER E` GALLAHER.

DOMINICK MCGRAIL. 

